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What is Ipswitch WS_FTP Server?
Ipswitch WS_FTP Server is a full-featured FTP server for Windows NT, Windows 2000 or later, and Windows XP systems. WS_FTP Server lets you create an FTP site that makes files and folders on your PC available to other users and customers. Users can connect (via the Internet) to your site, list folders and files, and (depending on permissions) download and upload folders and files. You can control user access to the site itself and to its individual folders and files. You can create multiple FTP sites on the WS_FTP Server - each will function as a completely separate site.
WS_FTP Server complies with the current Internet standards for the FTP protocol (documented in RFC 959 and 1123). Users can connect to the server and transfer files by using an FTP client that complies with this protocol, such as Ipswitch WS_FTP Home or Pro. The FTP server runs as a Windows NT service.
How FTP Works
FTP is based on the client-server model of communication between computers: one computer runs a server program "serving up" information to other computers. The other computers, or systems, run client programs that request information and receive replies from the server. The system running the server program is an FTP server.
To access an FTP server, users must be able to connect to the Internet, Intranet, or local area network (via a modem or local area network) with an FTP client program.
An FTP client-server session establishes two connections: a control connection that stays open for the entire session and a data connection that opens and closes to transfer data such as folder listings and files to or from the server as requested by the client. Normally, the control connection occurs on port 21 on the FTP server.
The FTP server runs continuously in the background and listens to port 21 for a connection request from an FTP client. When an FTP client requests a connection, the FTP server verifies the logon user ID and password and, if valid, it listens to this channel (control channel) for the next command.
After a user logs on, their access to the FTP host's file system is determined by permissions assigned to directories and folders.
How WS_FTP Server Works
WS_FTP Server is installed as a Windows service that runs continuously. WS_FTP Server lets you set up one or more FTP hosts, each with its own users, directories, and folders. Each FTP host functions as a separate FTP site. To set up an FTP host, you use the following components:
- User accounts - WS_FTP Server can use existing user accounts from a Windows NT, IMail Server (Ipswitch's mail server product), or other ODBC external user database. You can also use the WS_FTP Server Manager to create accounts in an ODBC database, or its own user database. To log on from an FTP client, users enter their user ID and password, specified in their user account.
- Anonymous logon - if enabled, a user can log on to your FTP site without having their own user account. You can use "anonymous FTP" to make folders and files on your PC publicly available, without having to create and maintain individual user accounts. To log on from an FTP client, users enter anonymous or ftp as their user ID. For the password, they should enter their e-mail address or no password.
- Default public folders - All users on an FTP host have a folder (with the same name as their User ID) under the FTP host's top directory. Users can transfer files to and from their own folders. If a folder named public is created in a user's folder, all other users (including anonymous users) can view and download files in this public folder.
- Home folder - for each FTP host, you can set whether you want users to start in their own folder, or start in the top directory when they log on.
- FTP folders and permissions - If you want to grant FTP permissions for a folder on your computer, you can create an FTP folder and have it reference (point to) an existing folder. You can then grant permissions for any of the FTP users, including anonymous users.
- User groups - You can create a user group and add users to it so you can grant appropriate permissions on a group basis.
Major Features
- (Version 5.0) New Ipswitch Notification Server to handle sending notifications of FTP Events.
- (Version 5.0) Supports SMS, e-mail, pager, and program notifications.
- (Version 5.0) Lets administrators set user's home folders, which allows home folders to be shared. Allows the use of virtual folders as user home folders.
- (Version 5.0) Lets a virtual folder reference a networked directory (UNC paths), provided the user has appropriate permissions to access the networked directory.
- (Version 5.0) Rules can check login attempts, quota actions, and the ability to attach multiple notifications to a rule.
- (Version 5.0) Ability to duplicate users, folder, virtual folders, rules, notifications, and groups.
- (Version 5.0) Set bandwidth limits for users, user groups, or FTP host.
- (Version 5.0) Set disk and file quotas for user groups, and FTP host (in addition to individual users).
- (Version 5.0) Set up SSL options for virtual hosts.
- (Version 5.0) Clear Command Channel (CCC) for SSL connections.
- Supports all FTP clients and Web browsers that comply with the standards in RFC 959 and 1123.
- Supports multiple FTP hosts (sites) on a single PC.
- Supports SSL connections. (If the FTP client supports SSL connections as well.)
- Uses an existing user database for user authorization, or lets you create your own user database.
- Supports an unlimited number of user accounts on each FTP host.
- Supports anonymous logons.
- Supports automatic resume of failed transfers - if the client connection is lost before a file transfer is complete, when the client logs on again, the FTP server resumes the transfer where it was interrupted. (This feature is supported by the WS_FTP Pro client.)
- Lets you create custom SITE commands and setup permissions for the use of those commands.
- Lets you assign FTP permissions per folder.
- Lets you set maximum number of users logged on to an FTP host.
- Logs FTP server events.
- Includes a Log Analyzer utility.
- Lets you add users from the DOS command line with the Add User utility.
- Runs as a Windows service.
WS_FTP Home and Pro Client
If you need an FTP client, we recommend Ipswitch WS_FTP Home or Pro. Both the WS_FTP clients let you communicate with virtually all types of FTP servers.
If you use WS_FTP Pro with WS_FTP Server, you will get premium performance and advanced functionality, such as:
- Encryption of user IDs and passwords sent over the network.
- Ability to resume a failed transfer.
- Ability to transfer from one remote FTP server to another (remote-to-remote transfer).
- Ability to make secure (SSL) connections to the server.
For more information about WS_FTP Home or Pro, visit our web site at: http://www.ipswitch.com
 Ipswitch, Inc. http://www.ipswitch.com |
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